A snowmobile rider ran into two dog teams that were competing Saturday in Alaska’s Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, killing one dog and injuring at least three others. Two other of King’s dogs were also injured – one suffering an apparent broken leg and the other knocked unconscious when the snowmobile rushed the team about 12 miles outside of Nulato.
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The incident happened early Saturday when mushers Aliy Zirkle and Jeff King were en route to a checkpoint in the village of Nulato, Alaska. The same snowmobile reappeared further on the route.
” On 03/12/16 at approximately 0243 hours, the Alaska State Troopers in Galena received a report that five miles below Koyukuk on the Yukon river, Aliy Zirkle, 46, had her dog sled hit on the side by a snow machine and the snow machine turned around multiple times and came back at her before driving off. Zirkle was not injured and one of her dogs was bruised during the incident.
Iditarod officials at first reported King had been injured.
King told NBC affiliate KTUU that he tried to perform first aid on Nash and his injured dogs.
“This is just one bad person”, the statement said.
Alaska State Troopers were contacted.
Six days ago when the Iditarod mushers left the starting line, we were eager to welcome the teams to our village-an annual event that we look forward to each year. “She actually used one of the trail-markers to defend herself – the four-foot pieces of lath out there that are marking the trail”. “It was so incredibly close – my team was well lit, with lights and reflectors – that it felt very intentional”, King said.
Race officials say a suspect has been identified by a Nulato village police officer.
A piece of cowling from the snowmachine broke off during the attack on King’s team and the musher brought it with him to Nulato as evidence.
Twelve miles north, Zirkle was hit again by the same snowmobiler, according to troopers.
Zirkle was in third place; King, a four-time Iditarod champion, was in fifth place. “I think I was more of a target”.
King himself requested medical attention at Nulato.
The race leader is Brent Sass, who left Kaltag early this morning. He left Nulato at 7:14 a.m.
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Reigning champ Dallas Seavey, the son of Mitch Seavey, was in fourth place. Schroeder, a four-time John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon champion, reached Galena at 3:55 a.m. Alaska time Saturday and has taken both his mandatory layovers.
